Dropping a '57 - '60 F100 on the cheap "?"

So a buddy of mine has a 1960 F100 and an "old timer" told him the cheap way to drop the front end a few inches was to swap the stock axle for a stock axle out of a 53 - 56 f100. Has anyone done this? Does anyone know if it works? Is anyone currently running an f100 with this?

 

i think that would raise the truck ..... when i was in high school i put a 57 axle under the front of my 56, i think the 57 is about 1 1/2"or so lower that the 53-6s.

 

you can get a drop axle from CPP

 

yeah a dropped axel from cpp is $369

 

check here too.. and he's a HAMBer

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=92817

 

for the front a dropped axle and mono leafs.

i have a 58 F100 that i'm going to put a front clip on and Z the front. i have flipped the rear axle and removed 3 leafs that gave me a 7" drop. i also plan to do a 2" body drop. that will get the body really low without any bags. but i do plan on bagging it.

 

same boat, hotrodyblock. what i've found is that you can:
1. go IFS (MII, clip, etc.)
2. dropped axle
3. i msg'd a guy here who simply flipped the front axle like the rear and raised the steering box by mounting it on the frame. exact same steering components and no bump steer he claimed.

this is what i'm doing on my front end so i guess i'll find out. cost of going this route: free (well, practically).

low springs: you got 7" outta the back with just that? thats exactly what i'm looking for and hope to have it done soon. im goin with bags and c-notching the rear, too. thanks for your post!

p.s. is that late '40s, nosed chevy on your website in the latest Rodder's Journal? either way, that car is tight.

 

yeah i flipped the axle and took 3 leafs out. it will give you 1" of travel. once you put a c notch you'll be fine. you could even put 3" blocks to go lower. but you would need a big notch.

yeah, i did the hood peak on the Fleetline that's in RJ right now. thanx

 

here you go.....

 

thanks for the pics of the F100...those just gave me motivation to get my **** to work!

keep up the good work!

 

Hey,

Me and a buddy notched the front end of my '57 to get it lower and improve the travel on my axle. I got the truck and it was slammed by the previous owner by removing springs...it had really bad bump steer. So we boxed the frame and notched it out so that it would have clearance. So far so good...a rather cheap and easy way to get the front down without ifs or anything else.

Otto

 

man...that, too, sounds like a good idea. stock steering box still?

...im anxious to hear/see ANYTHING done, particularly on the front end, other than complete IFS.

thanks dude.

 

I had this same thought process when I bought my '60. Came to one conclusion. It can't be done on the cheap. Not if its done right

 

Hey,

Yeah stock steering box and linkage. The only pain is the brake lines, you have to be really careful about that. We did the whole job in about a day...including prep, making templates, cutting the stock, fitting, welding and paint.

O.

 

I had a 56 and just took every other leaf (or so)out and it dropped it as low as you could go without notching. even ground the snubbers off a little in the front so it wouldnt bottom out too much. If you went any lower in the front the axle would have hit the 292 oil pan. cost=0 .......got a lot of info on www.ford-trucks.com click on forums the scroll down and choose year

 

I put reversed eye mono leafs on my 57. Lowered the thing about 5-6 inches. I'll post pics tomorrow.

 

i have cross steering in my truck and a pwr steering box out of a 78 LTD. not sure if flipping the front would work for me.





here's pics from another Hamber (killer) he flipped the fron I beam and raised the steering box.

 

If I remeber, the 1958 axle only is 1" lower than any other year...that mey be wrong, but I loked into the same thing on my old 60 pickuk. They were right about the 56 axle, that would actally raise it. You can drop the stoc axle for around 300.00, and get a set of mono springs for it, should lower the front a good 6-8 inches, and well under a grand (not exactly cheap, but a safe drop and good ride)
Good luck, post pics

 

thanks again, guys, for all the pics (especially the raised steering box).

keep 'em comin.

 

I was wondering how the front axle was flipped? I dont see how you would mount it to the springs. I was going to order a drop axle from CPP but would like to go a cheaper route. Thanks for the info guys.

 

there was a discussion about this flipped front axle issue not too long ago

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144117

 

I just finished installing the axle i flipped and i will be installing a Drop axle instead. There just isnt enough room between the frame and top of the axle.
I am running de-arched leafs in the front and without a motor i only have 5 inches between the the two so this isnt going to work for me. I could notch the frame for it but i really dont want to.

 

Here is my 57 with the mono leafs. The front might be lower but it is resting on the engine oil pan. Sorry for the ****ty pics.

 

6" to I-beam from oilpan (292ci). i want at least that WITH some travel in suspension so decided i'm gonna go with one of these. its gonna add to my budget with either but i've heard good things about the guy who drops original beams.

http://www.roadsters.com/axles/#drop
http://www.cl***ictrucks.com/tech/0610cl_ford_suspension/index.html

if anyone's used these chime in.

 

A dropped axle does not effect the height from axle to oil pan it just puts axle closer to the ground

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